Hope for farmers in GMO cotton deal

Kenya will commercialise biotech cotton by 2012, a move that promises good returns for farmers.

A team has been formed to fast-track the process, while a multinational seed company has been identified to provide biotechnology seeds to farmers.

Biotech stakeholders in Kenya also expect the National Bio-safety Authority (NBA) to gazette regulations to guide the sector.

The regulations are expected to spur trials by the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (Kari).

The 10-member taskforce includes Kari, NBA, the African Biotechnology Stakeholders Forum (ABSF), Ginners Association, GATSBY Trust, Kenya Seed Company, and the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate (Kephis).

“These stakeholders will hold regular meetings to ensure that commercialisation of the crop is achieved within the proposed time line,” said Felix M’mboyi, ABSF senior programme officer.

The move is part of the government’s strategy to revive the cotton industry.

Farmers will be able to compete with their counterparts in South Africa, Burkina Faso and India in producing high quality lint for the international market.

Dr M’mboyi told Xinhua that the appointed company is expected to supply enough seeds until Kenya is able to produce its own seeds locally.

“The supply could be for a season or more depending on how fast local seed producers will move,” he said.

The farmers will also be expected to attend field trials and learn from them.

This process will start after NBA officially gazettes bio-safety regulations that will guide the open field trials.

Potential risks

As a standard requirement globally, genetically modified (GM) crops are subjected to bio-safety regulations to eliminate any potential risks.

Regulations are also prescribed for conducting laboratory, greenhouse and field experiments.